Nitrate is a common drinking water pollutant worldwide, typically due to leaching of nitrogen fertilizers from agriculture. In addition to negative consequences on surface water ecosystems, contaminated surface or groundwater can reach people through drinking water. In particular, shallow groundwater wells can have very high nitrate levels if the groundwater sources are not sufficiently protected. This affects private well users, but also public supplies in areas where the geological conditions do not allow groundwater sourcing from deeper, nitrate-free aquifers. In Europe, drinking water should not exceed a maximum threshold of 50mg nitrate per litre, according to the European Union (EU) Drinking Water Directive.
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